Bacchus and Ariadne
The artist
Titian, a master of the Venetian Renaissance famous for his glowing, powerful use of color.
What you see
The god Bacchus leaps from his chariot pulled by cheetahs to meet Ariadne, a princess he has just spotted on the shore.
The story
Painted around 1522, it shows the exact moment they fall in love, telling an old Greek and Roman myth in one frozen action scene.
The style
Titian filled the scene with movement and a deep blue sky, using bright colors that still look vivid after five hundred years.
Look closer
Look up in the sky for a ring of stars, which is the crown Bacchus gave Ariadne, turned into a constellation.
Where to see it
You can visit it at the National Gallery in London, one of its most beloved and colorful paintings.
Fun fact
The rich blue color came from a rare stone called lapis lazuli, which was once more expensive than gold.